Decorative glassware

ABSTRACT

A decorated article of glassware and the like and a method of making the same are provided in which a glass object having a cylindrical sidewall is provided with a pair of separate and distinct designs separated by a neutral background and an opening through both designs and background forming an integral part of the outermost design through which a viewer may see the innermost design through the glass sidewall.

I United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,874,977 Pyles Apr. 1, 1975 [54] DECORATIVE GLASSWARE 1.310.526 6/1931 OlSOll 156/268 x 2. 1. l U 1 1mm Robe" Phillip m Mmgamown. 2322.??? 13/133? ESifilflffifil. 31 1 6122 2,305,890 12/1942 Moore 161/3 ux [73] Assignee: Houze Glass Corporation, Point FOREIGN PATENTS OR C O S Mamn' 801,697 9/1952 United Kingdom 117/38 [22] Filed; May 19, 1969 888,932 2/l962 United Kingdom .7 161/145 [21] Appl' 825500 Primary ExaminerWilliam A. Powell Attorney. Agent, or Firm-Buell, Blenko and [52] US. Cl 161/3, 117/45, 161/6, Ziesenheim i6l/33 [5 l] Int. Cl B441 1/00 57 ABSTRACT [58] Field Search 2 97; A decorated article of glassware and the like and a l6l/3, 6,413, 33,215/1 R, D7/l,6, 24. 30, h 1

33 met 0d of making the same are provided in whieh a glass Ol'JjCCt having a cylindrical sidewall 15 prov1cled with a pair of separate and distinct designs separated [56] References by a neutral background and an opening through both UNITED STATES PATENTS designs and background forming an integral part of 251643 5/1882 Benas et al. 117/40 X the outermost design through which a viewer may see 934094 9/1909 Peterson the innermost design through the glass sidewall. l 25l.577 l/l9l8 Reizenstein 117/40 X 1,473.903 1 1 1923 Denk .1 117 40 x 4 m 3 a ng Figures 1 DECORATIVE GLASSWARE This invention relates to glassware and methods of making the same and particularly to cylindrical glassware such as tumblers and the like having a design with three dimensional visual perception.

The use of decorative designs on glassware such as tumblers and the like is broadly old. For example, the surfaces of tumblers have been decorated with designs formed in the glass by cutting, sand and shot blasting, etching with fluorine containing compounds and by painting the surfaces with oil paints and the like. Other similar schemes for decorating glass have been used.

I have invented a new article of glassware and the like and method of making the same which provides a unique blending of multiple design elements into graphic homogeneity and provides an unusual threedimensional visual perception.

Preferably, I provide a hollow cylindrical clear object having a pair of separate designs imprinted around the circumference of the cylinder, one on top of the other, and separated from one another by a neutral background and an opening through both designs and the background forming an integral part of the outermost design through which a viewer may see the innermost design through the glass wall of the cylinder.

Preferably, the invention is carried out by the steps of imprinting on the circumference of a cylindrical glass object a scene or design in a reversed or mirror image of the scene to be viewed, imprinting a background or overlay on top of the first scene or design and around the circumference except for an opening diametrically opposite the principal area of the first design and imprinting a second outer design or scene on top of the background or overlay which scene or design incorporates the opening in the background as an integral element of the said outer scene or design. The same invention can be applied to a clear plastic cylindrical object such as a plastic tumbler.

The designs and background are preferably all made by using ceramic enamels on glass which are set by conventional firing methods. In the case of plastic the designs and background would be made by using resin base paints.

In the foregoing general statement of my invention, 1 have set out certain objects, purposes and advantages of my invention. Other objects, purposes and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a tumbler incorporating my invention;

FIG. 2 is a section on the line llll of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the tumbler of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated a tumbler having a cylindrical sidewall I0. A reverse or mirror image first scene 11 is applied to the sidewall 10 in the form of ceramic enamels by one of the known silk screen processes. A bakground 12 is applied over the first scene 11 also in ceramic enamels and extending around the circumference of the sidewall 10 of the tumbler except for an opening 13 diametrically opposite the central theme of first scene 11. A second or outer scene 14 is applied over the background 12 in ceramic enamels using the opening 13 as an integral part of the design. The tumbler is passed through a heated lehr where the ceramic enamels are fused or matured by conventional methods of firing. This, of course, sets the enamels as an integral part of the tumbler sidewall and brings out the true colors of the ceramics forming the various scenes and background.

The opening 13 serves as a viewport through which the first scene 11 may be observed with the second scene defining the opening and forming a part of the view which, because of the inherent binocular stereoscopic characteristics of the observers vision through the glass wall of the tumbler, together with random movements of the tumbler or the observers head, provides a kinetic depth effect which is unusual and attractive.

While I have illustrated and described certain preferred practices and embodiments of my invention in the foregoing specification, it will be understood that this invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A hollow glass object and the like having an elongated cylindrical sidewall, a pair of separate designs imprinted around the circumference of said sidewall, one superposed on top of the other, one facing inwardly and the other outwardly and separated from one another by a neutral background and an opening through both designs and the background forming an integral part of the outermost design through which a viewer may see through the glass sidewall to the innermost of the two designs on the opposite sidewall.

2. A hollow glass object and the like as claimed in claim 1 wherein the innermost design as applied to the exterior of the object is a mirror image of the design as seen through the opening in the background.

3. A hollow glass object and the like as claimed in claim I wherein the two designs and background are of fired ceramic enamels.

4. A hollow glass object and the like as claimed in claim 1 wherein the opening is diametrically opposed to a principal theme appearing in the innermost of the two designs. 

1. A hollow glass object and the like having an elongated cylindrical sidewall, a pair of separate designs imprinted around the circumference of said sidewall, one superposed on top of the other, one facing inwardly and the other outwardly and separated from one another by a neutral background and an opening through both designs and the background forming an integral part of the outermost design through which a viewer may see through the glass sidewall to the innermost of the two designs on the opposite sidewall.
 2. A hollow glass object and the like as claimed in claim 1 wherein the innermost design as applied to the exterior of the object is a mirror image of the design as seen through the opening in the background.
 3. A hollow glass object and the like as claimed in claim 1 wherein the two designs and background are of fired ceramic enamels.
 4. A hollow glass object and the like as claimed in claim 1 wherein the opening is diametrically opposed to a principal theme appearing in the innermost of the two designs. 